if your deck in picture is that small,i would go with concrete deck..
they will put a small block wall in and slab on top..
then i would look at indoor/outdoor berber type carpet that is out now..

you could put that on yourself with adhesive..

i did my breezyway with it and it is much better than carpet from years ago..

its beautiful,they have lots of colors today..i got a nice gray..

Thanks, we have that in another covered porch and I'm not very happy with it - it's dark paneling and a concrete slab and I painted it white and did exactly what you said and did the indoor/outdoor berber tan rug.

It's much better, but the rug gets filthy inside so if I did it outside I can't even imagine what it would look like after a week. That area would be impossible to clean as it's uncovered and what you can't see is our pathetic roof and failing gutters so there is a lot of overflow of water so we want decking that will allow the water to drain - since that deck cannot drain we are getting the rot, which you are seeing. Or, I'd love the tongue and groove deck flooring as it looks cleaner.

I cleaned that area right before I took the picture to submit it to the tax assessor to ask for a reduction given the condition of our house (which we were granted and they were very nice about it). It's a mess if I don't keep up with it, which I usually do.

Commanche, you just built an ipe deck and you are recommending outdoor carpet!

The smaller the project the easier it is to use fine materials from a cost perspective. Even if it's painted PT, it would look better than carpet.

Last time I checked George at EastTeak has a lot of 1x4 ipe and will ship you a small order 800 338 5636.

Its always a good idea not to walk out on a step, after removing your exiting exit deck frame it in under your threshold leaving enough room for the decking to tuck under it with the step on the outside like you have now.

Inspect the siding if your not going to cut/flash to it stay a 1/2'' away from it with your framing and decking. Install rail posts in the frame.

TimberTech makes an Earthwood line it can be face fastened or installed with clips, its some nice looking ipe look alike. J

Thanks for the warning - We haven't removed anything yet - that is how it has been was when we got the house two years ago - we really got a true fixer upper. We've been working on the kitchen and other minor projects so the deck has been neglected. It has the framing (kinda), it's actually just that plywood and the bricks holding up the left front are missing a few at the top. We walk on it and it's ok - but that's why it needs to come down sooner than later. You should see some of the other lovely features we inherited with the house. I told my husband he has a few weeks or I'm taking it down. He know's from past experiences I will do it :) We have a back door and front door so a few months without that door isn't a big deal.

The plan is to demo all of it, put in a concrete footer in the left front either a 4x4 or a 6x6 to make it nice and sound. We were thinking of doing another one at the left back just to make sure it is nice and supported (we overdo everything).

I'll give George a call this week. The Ipe here just doesn't look at nice as the pictures you guys are showing and it's disappointing.

I can't seem to find the TimberTech in Maryland. I've tried three specialty lumber stores and been looking for two weeks. I emailed Timbertech and no one responded.

The best option we've found was the Fiberon but I can't find too many reviews from people who actually used it. I've been looking for it based on you all raving about it here. Here, everyone is pushing Trex colors but based on what you all say, I refuse to use that although all the stores here deny what you all say. But, of course, those who are selling it probably have never installed a deck before. But, the Fiberon boards the one company had looked horrible and he wasn't sure when a new supply was coming.

Given the size, price really isn't an issue as I can't imagine this costing us more than a few hundred dollars DIY. Although, if we could find someone really good, we wouldn't mind paying as we'd rather focus on getting the windows in and the inside which is a mess. We have almost every tool and what we don't have will give us an excuse to buy more (I'm the only wife around that my husband mentions he might need a tool and it shows up the next day). What we don't have too, a neighbor usually has as a back up plan.

I am really looking at what is our best option for quality and long-term as we plan to stay in this house, add a second story and then replace the lovely yellow siding and a new roof (which is about as nice as the deck). We've learned we are better off taking our time, doing it DIY and spending as much as we need to in better materials.

how about the idea of doing concrete and then covering the concrete with IPE decking tiles. they look beautiful and its an easy DYI job. We have an existing concrete patio and we are thinking of doing that.

Thanks - We don't have an existing concrete patio and to have one put in would be a lot of money - we looked into a tiny driveway and they are running $8,000. For us to try to DIY a concrete patio ourselves would be too much work to mix, etc. and then we'd have to probably pull permits. Plus, there would be a drainage issue if the water cannot run through the deck, which is why you see so much rot now. Since it is an existing structure to the house and we are just replacing it we should be ok.

We want to keep it the same height and extend it out two feet as it is a little short for when we get the driveway and put stuff on it and open the storm door. Since it is off the ground, our best option is to build a deck, but we are having a problem with the top material - Ipe or Composite. I go back and forth - I like the low maintance of composite but if you can get the really good Ipe boards, it looks better given it is a very small deck and very noticable as it is on the front of the house.

I am going to call George and see what he has and call Fiberon and Timbertech and see if they can send me samples. I just can't seem to find Timbertech locally.

I have a local supplier that handles TT earth wood,thats how I know about it. The deal is the TT guys want there distributors to cary everything they sell in order for the supplier to get the wholesale price they have to have to run a business. This gets really spendy and the guy is stuck with a few units of material if the local area dosent take to that kind of decking/handrail.

I have also used the T&G TT product with fairly low complaints. John

i just did my breezyway with berber indoor/outdoor carpet.
it looks beautiful..
i was looking at something for him that he would not have to maintain over years..

concrete pad is way i would go..as said, he could put wood ipe tile over it, me, i would use indoor/outdoor BERBER carpet..

as for keeping it clean..i use vacuum cleaner..if it gets dirty, i have a shampoo machine but so far, its fine on dirt..

i would not put expensive wood on home that is fixer upper until i had home fixer uped..not being smart..
also he seems to not have money and wants to diy..

i am happy with me ipe wood but if i had to do it over, i would have put down a concrete pad with block walls,then used the ipe tile as some said here ..

i am not very happy with PT lumber you get today..you should see some of the work my friends have done with PT lumber..
they are good contractors, honest as you can be..

PT lumber is awful, splits, warping..they hate with homeowner wants it in sizes over 2x6,i saw 2x12 that warped up over 3/4 inch off sills of new homes and would not go back down..

A concrete pad would cost far more than building a nice deck, so I'm not sure what you are comparing that too. Thank you for your suggestion, but it, as I've said, makes no sense for our home and our needs.

You buy a fixer upper as you pay less than market value and spend the money you "save" to make the necessary repairs to make it equivalent to those in the neighborhood. The point of putting expensive wood in a fixer upper is this is our home. We hope to live here for at least another 50-60 years and it will look very nice next to the $$$ DIY kitchen we just installed, which will complement the $$$ Marvin windows we are now buying which will some day look very nice with new siding, a second story, completely redone interior and new driveway as we plan to DIE in this house as it is our home. I am not looking to go cheap doing DIY.

I am looking to spend the money on quality materials and to be honest, if I could pay someone to put in this deck I would as I don't feel like doing it.

We called a few places and got blown off as no one wants a small job. We had the same problem moving duct work and doing other minor things so, we learn to do them ourselves, just like we will the deck.

I am not looking at cheap or to flip this house, I am making this house my home and lovingly restoring it, which the support of my neighbors and the original owners family. Even if I flipped the house, I can get what I put into this home back given the area we live in.

This isn't about money - this is about the best quality materials in a dark "wood" color.

Thank you very much John for your help - you've been really helpful!

Pcjs, May I ask, what part of MD do you live? I am from there, well the eastern shore. You sound like an eastern shore person....lol.
WE are in the same boat, we bought an fixer upper, and are redoing about the whole house, well by the time we get done it will be the whole house. Our next step is a deck out back too but much larger. I am confused about just plain products and to what is good and what is not.
There is a placew here in Nj that is called DECK TECH, I am not sure if that is a brand or just their name.

We are Montgomery County. To bad we don't live closer - it would be nice to have someone to help, and to help us.

We are looking at Fiberon but I can't find much about it but one person liking it on the internet (liked the color), Ipe as it is real wood, and Timber Tech as it is highly recommended on here. Trex had a class action law suit a few years ago due to black spots - there is a debate if it was mold or other stuff leaching out but I don't want to mess with them.

At this point, our deck is so small, if we put something down we don't like, we can always replace it in a few years, but it would be nice to do it once and be done with it.

We did just do a kitchen remodel so if you need help with that and just found someone in VA for supplies (for us, Marvin Windows).

The only thing good in our house was the structure and the heating and AC.

John - thank you!! You are very helpful. I was forgetting George's name when I called and I mentioned Garden Web to the guy who anwsered the phone and he said your name and George's name directly. His price with shipping is better than anything locally and he was nice and helpful. He's sending me a sample today.

He didn't recommend kiln dried like several people here did. Do you agree with that?

KD material is for use inside the house not outside on a deck surface, for a lot of reasons.

Sigh,,,,I am remembering the first house I started out on, Little Fall Creek Oregon,, hadent been lived in for 15 years or so.It was such an adventure Like yourself PC,I was going to stay put for a while,of course I dident, I never regeted puting the best I could into that place with what I had.

I am thinking youall will do fine. EastTeak is a very good business with some supper fine Folks. I really dont think you will be unhappy using ipe no matter the size of your project. J

That is what George said about the KD - I think we are going to go with him. He's sending the sample and if it can ever stop raining, my husband will get out and measure and draw up a plan. For the front, something just tells me to use real wood and if we ever do a second story with a little back deck, then I'd want composite.

Quality materials are worth the extra money, especially when we are saving on labor (although with this project I'd just like to pay so we can get the windows in and other projects done).

EastTeak's prices even with shipping were cheaper than local. Although, with his prices, it doesn't seem to me that it will really be that much extra. I just wish he would sell oak flooring so we could get some replacement for our hardwood but they only deal with exotic's. But, he seems like a good man to know as at some point, my husband want's to get into furnature building if we can ever get the house done given we have a good chunk of the tools. I'd much rather support a business like theirs that are customer friendly and really appear to take pride in what they sell. They also very much appreciate your business and referrals. :)

Thanks again for your help - I'm sure we'll be back for more advice and will post our end results although it may not be for a few months.